Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is at a crossroads entering his third year in charge of the Crimson Tide. The Tide were ranked No. 11 in the Preseason Coaches Poll, and outspoken ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum suggested that DeBoer has failed to replace the legendary Nick Saban’s impact and is on the hot seat this season.
Analyst Greg McElroy, who won a national championship with Alabama, vehemently dismissed Finebaum’s assertion about DeBoer’s job security in Tuscaloosa.
Greg McElroy Backs Kalen DeBoer amid Job Security Concerns
During Tuesday’s segment of the “Get Up” show, McElroy revealed that DeBoer is highly regarded within the Crimson Tide setup and is in no danger of losing his job after declining the Michigan Wolverines’ advances last year.
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free College Fantasy Simulator
“I love Paul, and Paul is the best at stirring up conversation. There’s no denying that,” McElroy said. “But in an effort to push back on the very ‘Finebaumian’ response that is Kalen DeBoer, in defeat or in disappointment, is out. Let me just correct the record for a second: Kalen DeBoer is in absolutely no jeopardy of losing his job. Now, is there pressure to perform? Of course, it’s Alabama.
“It’s just like there is at Ohio State for Joey and Oklahoma for Dusty. And I think when you look at Kalen DeBoer, he was offered a blank check by Michigan at the end of last season. He decided to turn that down. Therefore, he got a contract extension at Alabama because of the leverage that he had in that situation. He got his pay raise. He got an extension for a couple extra years. Now it costs 67 million dollars for him to leave.”
“Let me just correct the record for a second.”@GregMcElroy sets the record straight on Alabama and Kalen DeBoer 👀 pic.twitter.com/Ca9YQDCJSM
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 1, 2026
Since replacing Saban in January 2024, DeBoer has faced intense scrutiny as the Crimson Tide have battled to stay relevant in the wake of the icon’s retirement. Alabama has lost ground to the country’s elites as the Big Ten has swamped the SEC in the national championship sweepstakes in three consecutive seasons.
DeBoer arrived in Tuscaloosa after a stellar stint in charge of the Washington Huskies, and last season, he led the Crimson Tide back to the SEC championship game and the College Football Playoff. Despite the marginal gains, the polarizing coach was widely criticized for the Crimson Tide’s blowout losses to the Georgia Bulldogs and the Indiana Hoosiers.
Despite the blowout losses, McElroy revealed that the Crimson Tide’s decision-makers are satisfied with the team’s progress under DeBoer.
“The group is rallying behind Kalen DeBoer. So anyone that suggests that there is (no) alignment to Tuscaloosa is just flat out wrong, and there’s also the people that have evaluated the program,” McElroy added. “They see progress year over year, and they think that this year has a chance to be his best because it’s his team finally after two years of some challenging roster situations. So excited to see how they fare on Saturday.”
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
The former Huskies coach has a 20-8 record at Alabama and finally has his own team in place two and a half years after stepping into one of the country’s most pressurized jobs.
DeBoer made the stunning decision to name second-year quarterback Keelon Russell the Crimson Tide’s QB1 instead of recruiting via the transfer portal as other top teams did.
